The team is essentially the same one from last season minus a few deep bench players and coach. Anyone who expected big things is delusional. Colangelo said from the start of the year the playoffs were not likely. Casey has talked at length about evaluating players for moving forward. It is tough to get upset when the year is essentially a right off from the mouths of those who matter most in the organization.

Addressing your points specifically:

The coaching this year has been phenomenal. (4)

The execution after timeouts has been dreadful but the team has started from scratch with a training camp and pre season hardly worth mentioning. Also, it should be noted things have improved of late. (3)

Player rotations has been better than it has been in years. Is it great? No - but neither is this team. (2)

Colangelo's propaganda campaign has brainwashed the masses. The fact anyone following along closely can see things starting to come together slowly is something else to consider. For the first time in BC's tenure it is evident the long term vision of the team being built is to compete for more than a playoff berth. Lets see what moves are made in the off-season before BC is ripped a new one (5)

Mega-trades!!!!!! Lets see what happens draft night and in the off season. (6)

Rebounding has the Raptors 16th overall and 10th in defensive. That is a huge improvement in the 21st overall and 27th in defensive from a year ago. What is to complain about when the roster is still in transition. (1)

.......Bargnani hate is about to boil over. What a let down since his return from injury. More importantly though, what else is there to discuss about the guy? The same arguments and grievances have been aired for years now.

Bargnani still doesn't look right to me. He looks like he is holding back a bit or maybe he is afraid of re-injury. Since he has been out sooo much and the team learned to get along without him...I give him another 4 - 5 games before I start bashing him again

Bargnani still doesn't look right to me. He looks like he is holding back a bit or maybe he is afraid of re-injury. Since he has been out sooo much and the team learned to get along without him...I give him another 4 - 5 games before I start bashing him again

I was watching nba coast to coast last night and bruce bowen and tim legler were discussing how miami was missing the practice time coz they cant correct mistakes without practice. they also mentioned not having practice time was bad for players coming off injury because they cant get back into rhythm. thats why most of the teams who are really not playing for anything are shutting down their core players who have injuries. i guess the raps should have done the same with Bargnani.

I was watching nba coast to coast last night and bruce bowen and tim legler were discussing how miami was missing the practice time coz they cant correct mistakes without practice. they also mentioned not having practice time was bad for players coming off injury because they cant get back into rhythm. thats why most of the teams who are really not playing for anything are shutting down their core players who have injuries. i guess the raps should have done the same with Bargnani.

The only problem with this is that Bargnani is still auditioning for a spot on the roster next season. Management needs to be 100% sure what he's capable of providing this team over the next 4 years. And he's done nothing to cement their decision either way. Is he a cornerstone, or is he a trade asset? After 6 years, nobody can answer that with any certainty. Hence the reason we can't afford to sit him.

This summer is arguably the biggest offseason in franchise history. If Colangelo doesn't turn things around and make us into a competitive basketball team in 2012-13, he doesn't get extended, we start the search for a new GM, who wants his own coach and players that fit his personal philosophy, and as a result, the "rebuild" is postponed another 2-3 years. I personally don't think the fanbase will put up with 3 more years of 20-win basketball. The ACC will get emptier, and emptier, and for the first time in 19 years, we might start to hear rumblings of the Seattle Raptors. All of this starts and ends with a decision on Bargnani this summer.

The only problem with this is that Bargnani is still auditioning for a spot on the roster next season. Management needs to be 100% sure what he's capable of providing this team over the next 4 years. And he's done nothing to cement their decision either way. Is he a cornerstone, or is he a trade asset? After 6 years, nobody can answer that with any certainty. Hence the reason we can't afford to sit him.

This summer is arguably the biggest offseason in franchise history. If Colangelo doesn't turn things around and make us into a competitive basketball team in 2012-13, he doesn't get extended, we start the search for a new GM, who wants his own coach and players that fit his personal philosophy, and as a result, the "rebuild" is postponed another 2-3 years. I personally don't think the fanbase will put up with 3 more years of 20-win basketball. The ACC will get emptier, and emptier, and for the first time in 19 years, we might start to hear rumblings of the Seattle Raptors. All of this starts and ends with a decision on Bargnani this summer.

Partially agree. IMO, the Raps already know what they can get out of Bargnani. He's shown he can defend and rebound even after 5 years of supposedly not being able to. He's is definitely not the piece, but is definitely "a" piece that the Raps can move forward with. The way they set plays and the way he is discussed by Casey and by the canadian media, i still think he is regarded as the franchise player of this team whether we, us fans, like it or not. IMO, the Raps are convinced he is a Raptor, well, up until a super deal comes up that could include him. But thats true for every player in the league anyways.

This i fully agree with and i've reiterated this many times here. this is offseason is the best chance the Raptors has to solidify the rebuild. if they dont establish the core before the start of next season, IMO, we're in for another rebuild.

The losing wears on you. No sense complaining about them being bad when you knew they were going to be bad. For me, it also has to do with the fact that most of the guys on this team need to be replaced before this team gets good. It's why I can't get worked up about Bargs, or Calderon vs. Bayless, or Derozan. None of these guys are irreplaceable or part of the long term success story here, so why worry too much about how they play? The Raps are stil in tear down mode. Give me JV and a top 5 pick and a couple good trades, then I'll get more invested in wins/losses/performance, etc.

As for the site, I miss the podcasts and the posting on the main page seems lighter than the last couple years. The biggest issue is that the comments section is just terrible now to the point where I avoid the main page altogether. Too many trolls, too many idiots. Still like the boards.